


Midnight Snack (not just the sandwiches)

by aomgsus



Category: iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, hanbin is such an awkward mess, minor jundong at the end, this prompt was so fun man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 22:36:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13774044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aomgsus/pseuds/aomgsus
Summary: Hanbin practically eats Subway sandwiches everyday because he's got a huge crush on the guy, Bobby, who makes his sandwiches.(Fic idea from the "iKON Idea Book" by @blondeyunhyeong)





	Midnight Snack (not just the sandwiches)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blondeyunhyeong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondeyunhyeong/gifts).



> In this AU, Bobby, Donghyuk, and Mino are college students working together on night shifts; Hanbin, Junhoe and Chanwoo are in a band; Yunhyeong and Jinhwan do other things but are roommates. There's sooo little plot involved, but I didn't want any confusion.

 The first time Hanbin heads to Subway in the dead of night, it’s because there’s nowhere on the direct path from the studio to the dorms that he hasn’t exhausted yet. And one more burger at a Lotteria might actually make him sick, or give him higher cholesterol than a guy his age should have.

 So he finds himself under the obnoxiously bright lights of the chain restaurant, eyes already sore enough from staring at a computer screen for an entirely unreasonable amount of time, as he heads to the counter at an exhausted stagger. He notices soreness from too many dance practices as he shifts from one foot to another, feeling the ache that’s merely become part of him singe with every move. Hanbin orders the first thing he sees on the menu, probably asking for cheese and some banana peppers that he hopes will be potent enough to wake him up for the rest of his trek home. He grumbles a thanks to the employee making his sandwich, who looks about his age and just as enthused to be there.

 “Alright, meatball sub. Would you like to add a cookie or a drink to your order?” a voice all too cheery for 3 o’clock in the morning asks him, and Hanbin almost winces at the enthusiasm. He’s about to open his mouth to ask for a diet Coke when the words die on his tongue, the entire world seeming to stop.

 The most beautiful man Hanbin has seen in his entire life is standing directly before him, somehow managing to look like a god in his cheesy work visor and a work polo that seems to be dulling from one too many washes. His hair is long and would probably reach his fantastic cheekbones if it weren't pushed back, tawny and healthy with blond highlights so nicely paired with his sun-kissed skin that it’s unfair. His nametag reads _Jiwon,_ and Hanbin’s almost sure that if he were to die now Jiwon would be far from the worst company to have.

 Maybe that was just the sleep deprivation talking.

 “Excuse me, sir?” The sheer depth and gruffness of his tone registers with Hanbin now, rumbling through him and leaving him a little weak in the knees. But the friendly warmth in his eyes was so different from the roughness of his voice- it all left Hanbin a little dizzy. “Diiid you want a cookie or drink?”

 “Oh! Oh. Y-yeah, diet Coke please.” Hanbin stutters, watching Jiwon’s hands tap away at the screen. They’re nice hands. Almost as nice as his face. Hanbin wants to hold those hands.

 “Are you alright?” Jiwon asks, one arm propped on the top of the register screen as he stares back after completing the order. Hanbin isn’t sure if he should be more or less mortified by the bemused smile on his full, pink lips.

 “U-uh… yeah, sorry. Just need sleep. So much sleep.” He’s babbling now, the flush on his ears so uncomfortably hot as it runs down his neck that he has to fan himself. In the middle of winter. _What a great first impression we’re making._

 “Well,” Jiwon says as he sets the drink cup on the counter. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Jiwon’s coworker looking far more entertained than before. Hanbin can’t help but find it a little annoying. “Have a nice night, hope you get ‘so much sleep’.”

 Hanbin rushes out of the restaurant with a strangled “Thanks” hanging in the air behind him, and he can’t get out fast enough to miss the sound of someone snickering at his expense.

 “He didn’t want a cookie, but he sure wanted a piece of something else on this counter,” Mino says with a smirk and a light jab of his elbow. Jiwon shoves him back with a snort of a laugh.

 “Man, shut up.” He watches Hanbin leave, almost a fond smile on his face. “He was cute, though. How long d’you think it’ll take him to realize he never actually filled his drink cup?”

 It just so happens to take Hanbin until he sets it down on the dining room table at the dorms, and he may or may not hit his head against the table a few times in utter humiliation. Still, his heart won’t stop fluttering.

 

\--

 

 “I met the _hottest_ guy yesterday,” Hanbin states dreamily between bites of his breakfast. He can cook decent enough, but Jinhwan and Yunhyeong invited him over for breakfast at their shared apartment. They’re much better cooks anyways, and who is he to turn down free food or socialization? God only knew he denied himself enough social interaction through the countless late-night producing sessions.

 “Oh, so when you said you went to “work” last night, that just happened to entail going out to break hearts?” Yunhyeong accuses with an easy smirk. Chanwoo giggles at his comment from where his lanky body is half splayed on the countertop, height allowing him to rest comfortably against the granite. “I know you need a break, but if you don’t produce things you’ll probably all be looking for new bands. You and Chanwoo might have luck, but Junhoe and his big mouth?” The mentioned vocalist grumbles some choice words that none of them choose to acknowledge.

 “What?” The younger frowns in confusion, running his hands through the youngest’s hair absently. “No, I went to the studio. He was working at the Subway that I grabbed dinner at.”

 Jinhwan shoots a disapproving grimace as he makes more eggs for Junhoe, who never knows how to keep his mouth shut in any setting. “Hanbin, how many times have I had to tell you that eating at 2 o’clock in the morning isn’t dinner anymore? It’s just sad.”

 “Whatever, _mom._ ” He gives Jinhwan a victorious smirk as the older bristles at his least favorite nickname. “I ate a salad at normal human dinner hours. Now if you want to fight me on what’s dinner, salad never counts as a real meal, but that isn’t the point here.” He turns to the others expectantly. “This guy is gorgeous, I mean it.”

 “Did you get his number?” Chanwoo asks, peering up from his plate as he licks the last traces of fried egg off of his lips. Hanbin grimaces, fiddling with the edge of his napkin nervously.

 “My basic motor functions were barely working, what makes you think my brain was?” He answers begrudgingly, running a hand through his unruly -and somewhat greasy, he notes with a grimace- locks. Junhoe snorts from the couch.

 “Wait, don’t tell me.” Sitting up, he peers over his shoulder with a shit-eating grin. “You saw he was hot, gawked at him like a total stalker, and then ran off.” The pause speaks for itself, but Hanbin tries to answer anyways.

 “What if I did?”

 “Dude, you’re hopeless!” he exclaims, laugh as raucous and obnoxious as ever. It gets under Hanbin’s skin like nothing he’s ever known. Which isn’t entirely true; it’s what he thinks every time Junhoe grinds his gears like this, and that’s just about daily. It’s still annoying as hell.

 “Oh shut up, Junhoe!” But in his heart of hearts he knows Junhoe’s right, and the smile of pity Yunhyeong’s shooting at him isn’t helping.

 It’s at that moment that Hanbin decides to go back and try to get Jiwon’s number. If for nothing else, it will at least get Junhoe to shut up.

 

\--

 

 “Back again?” Jiwon asks with a smile that both mocks him and attempts to remain professionalism. “This is, what, the third time this week?”

 “Don’t think too highly of yourself,” Hanbin quips back with a smile. “I told my friends I’d bring food back so we could hang tonight.”

 “Oh really?” The cashier asks, tone dripping with disbelief. “And you decided there was no finer establishment you would choose to get these friends of yours food from?” Hanbin shrugs.

 “Never said they were _good_ friends, just friends.”

 Jiwon flashes that winning smile at him again, leaning over the counter just enough to show he’s somewhat interested. Hanbin’s set this up _perfectly,_ it’s basically in the bag. All he has to do is ask those five words. _Could I get your number?_ Hanbin recites in his head. _Say it with me now: Can. I. Have…_

 “Six chicken teriyaki on honey oat, please.”

 Minho has to leave halfway through making the second one to laugh in the walk-in freezer when he sees the dejection on Hanbin’s face, waiting for his half dozen sandwiches.

 He isn’t sure if the mild pity he sees in Jiwon’s eyes as he walks out with far too many sandwiches is secondhand embarrassment or disappointment. It’s probably the first one; Hanbin’s half tempted to throw his armful of sandwiches into the Han River before the guys see them. But he’s invested another 40,000 won, there’s no turning back now.

 He can hear their nagging already.

 

\--

 

 A chorus of exasperated groans erupts as soon as his friends hear the telltale crinkle of Subway bags. “You said you were going to get takeout!” Jinhwan accuses before he can even slip off his shoes.

 “I did,” Hanbin retorts with a mildly-embarrassed smirk. “I got sandwiches and took them out of the store. Therefore, takeout.”

“Some hyung you are.” Chanwoo huffs as he nibbles tentatively on the lettuce poking out of his sandwich, having already torn into one of the bags.

 “But who’s still eating it?” Hanbin retorts, pointing at him with a little too much aggression. He offhandedly attributes it to the odor of the sweet onion in the sauce, which quickly became maddening as the only thing he smelled for fifteen solid minutes.

 “Chanwoo’s being kind compared to what I have to say about this mess,” Jinhwan huffs petulantly around a bite of his own sandwich. “You better ask him out, and soon,” he threatens, somehow managing to still be threatening with sauce on his chin. “Because the next time I so much as smell a banana pepper I’m choking you with it.”

 Hanbin mumbles a halfhearted complaint between pinches of the bread, proceeding to take a large bite of the chicken teriyaki he’s starting to grow terribly tired of.

 

\--

 

 The last time he goes to order a sandwich it’s because Junhoe slaps one out of his hands onto the floor of the restaurant, because having someone to force him into it is decidedly the only way Hanbin will ever make a move. Maybe not even then. “Hey!” Hanbin wails in distress. “He’s going to have to clean that!”

 “Great, more time over here with you then.” Yunhyeong says with a coy smile, eyes twinkling. “Now go order another one and, I dunno, ask for his number on a napkin or somethin.’”

 “You guys suck,” he grumbles while going to order a new one. But truthfully, Hanbin’s far more agitated about the thought of having to stomach one more sandwich than he is about the prospect of ordering it. Suddenly his strides have garnered a great amount of purpose for only traveling a few yards to the counter. Minho steps back as soon as he notices Hanbin, something he’d started doing around the third visit (no doubt to watch Hanbin squirm, there wasn’t much entertainment on these graveyard shifts). Jiwon steps up to the counter, putting on a polite smile though his eyes are full of mirth.

 “What can I get for you, Hanbin?” he asks politely, pulling on a pair of disposable gloves to make his umpteenth order that week. Sighing in exasperation, Hanbin drops his hands to hang limply at his sides.

 “Your number?”

 “I’m.. I’m sorry?” Jiwon sounds anything but offended. Astounded, no doubt, that this was actually happening when they’d had no traction for the past two and a half weeks.

 “Look, we both know I don’t come here for the food. Hell, even on the first day -which was a total accident- I almost left my food at the counter because you’re so hot that I completely lose my common sense around you.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Hanbin feels a leftover cookie wrapper from one of the previous evenings and groans. “And honestly, I’m starting to hate these sandwiches. I have to stop myself from gagging at the thought of another one, and I honestly might hurl if I so much as smell another batch of Italian bread.”

 “You know,” Jiwon starts, peeling his gloves back off with a smirk. “There are plenty of other restaurants that are open this late. You don’t have to keep coming back.” Hanbin’s heart is en route to his stomach, figuring he’s overloaded his system with mediocre subs for no reason, before Jiwon gestures him to the checkout counter and grabs a pen and napkin. “So how about you take this...” he drawls, jotting something out quickly on the flimsy surface before slapping it down in front of Hanbin. “... and we can figure out a night where I take you to an actually decent joint?”

 Hanbin can hardly figure out how to respond, eyes jerking back and forth between Jiwon’s ridiculously pretty grin and his number on the counter. “O...okay,” he whispers, clearing his throat when Jiwon snorts in amusement. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do that, thanks.” A grin’s spread to his own face, too large to try and play it cool. So he doesn’t, laughing in excitement as he takes the napkin with great care. “See you around.” Jiwon leans over the counter just the smallest bit, and Hanbin thinks his aftershave must be what heaven smells like.

 “I hope so. But Hanbin?” He turns around from the small walk back to his seat, clearly looking all too pleased with himself. “Didn’t you want that other sandwich?”

 “Nah.” He responds right away, staring at Jiwon like his friends aren’t there, like Minho doesn’t look prepared to fall over laughing. “Fuck the sandwich.” His cheesy line was definitely worth the ridiculous laugh and wink Jiwon responded with.

 “Noted.”

 

\--

 

 Upon later inspection of the video Junhoe took of the whole ordeal in secret, Hanbin realized that Minho actually had fallen over at his final comment before coming to clean the fallen sandwich. He writes it off as a minor casualty and chooses not to be embarrassed over it.

 Well, not _too_ embarrassed.

 

\--

 

 Hanbin and Jiwon have been a thing for nearly a month when the guys decide to swing by after work on Jiwon’s late shift one Friday to pick him up and head to the bar and karaoke. After all of them eating the terribly mediocre sandwiches for so long that it teetered the line on emotionally scarring, nobody had planned to grab food at the restaurant.

 Not until, of course, Junhoe decides he’s got no choice after Chanwoo not- so-subtly hints, “Junhoe hyung, aren’t you gonna grab something to eat?”

 “Why would I do that?” The older of their two youngest friends feigns ignorance as he scrolls through Instagram, eyebrow raised with the most minute interest. “I’m not hungry right now.”

 Chanwoo gives him a withering gaze, something that would work on anyone that wasn’t as stubborn as the man in question. “Hyung, you get pitiful when you drink on anything close to an empty stomach. Please eat so I don’t have to be your human wheelbarrow again.”

 “That’s no way to treat your hyung, Chanwoo-yah.” His tone is flat with disapproving undertones, face just as unenthused. But the younger boy is just as tall now, and the angelic smile plastered on Chanwoo’s face to mock him doesn’t budge.

 “You’re barely older than me. And I still called you hyung, didn’t I?” Junhoe can only glare at the snickering youngest as he struts up to the counter, grumbling under his breath. “Stupid kid,” he mutters, pulling out his wallet.

 “Hello, sir, how may I help you?” The voice that greets him is pleasant and soft, but Junhoe can hardly hear it over his own sour attitude.

 “Just a moment, please.” His response is by no means rude, making sure not to make such a late shift any worse, but his tone is flat. Eyes flitting up to browse the menu, they stop halfway and land directly on the boy in front of him.

 The man looking back at him is like sunshine at midnight, angular jawline softened by a bright smile and eyes that glimmer and make Junhoe feel so special for no reason. The long bangs tucked back by his uniform hat are nothing sort of glorious, and Junhoe was suddenly perfectly willing to risk a health code violation with him not wearing a hat at the thought of getting to run his hands through the healthy locks. Something stupid in Junhoe’s mind wants this gift to mankind to just be _his_ gift, wrapped up in a drab apron that does him no justice with a cheap nametag situated atop his -no doubt toned- chest. _Donghyuk._ God, even his name is cute.

 “Sir? Did you want to order something?” Despite his obvious confusion -and hints of concern- Donghyuk waves his hand in front of Junhoe’s face. It effectively shakes him from the lovestruck reverie, cheeks flushing immediately as he knows he’s been caught gawking. Of course that only makes his ability to answer decrease, mouth flapping open and shut like a he’s a fish on land. If the order would just _come out_ of his mouth, if he could just say something so Donghyuk could stop looking so concerned...

 Unbeknownst to Junhoe, his friends are watching the pitiful exchange in amused horror, huddled together against a wall, their quest to choose any of the empty tables forgotten entirely. Catching this side of Junhoe was nothing short of a miracle, such a rarity that Hanbin was sure he’d seen God in the flesh more times than he’d seen Junhoe unsure of himself. Before now, at least.

 “God, this is awful,” Hanbin says with a full-bodied wince. “Poor Junie.”

 “Yeah, you were pretty much just as bad babe.” Jiwon quips, meeting Hanbin’s horrified expression with a goofy grin. “Maybe a little worse.” Yunhyeong is just about doubled over on the floor, laughing silently because he can hardly breathe. Jinhwan and Chanwoo aren’t much better off, but Hanbin’s too mortified to tell them to screw off.

 “Oh god, what the hell did you go out with me for?!” He demands in humiliation, hiding his flushed cheeks behind both hands. Jiwon coos playfully, coaxing them down so he can hold them.

 “C’mon, it’s kinda cute! Who doesn’t like being complimented?” Jiwon’s still snickering, but his thumbs rubbing over Hanbin’s knuckles alleviate the embarrassment at least a little. “I felt the same way about you, I just have to keep my act together at work. Keep my game face on.” The oldest of them gags a tad too dramatically.

 “You two are disgusting,” Jinhwan says with a groan. “Some people are actually trying to eat here.”

 “I don’t see you with anything, Ji-Ji~” Jiwon taunts, fluttering his eyelashes. Hanbin balks at his sheer nerve, talking to prideful Jinhwan like that.

 “You’re lucky I’ve been dealing with your nonsense for so many years or I’d have to knock you on your ass for that stupid nickname,” he leers, the corners of his lips threatening to quirk into a smile. Hanbin feels like he’s missing something terribly important.

 “Years? What do you mean years?”

 “Our moms are best friends!” Jiwon exclaims and drops Hanbin’s hands to sling an arm around Jinhwan, who grumbles but doesn’t shrug him off. “He’s known me since I was a baby.”

 “ _That’s_ why you look so familiar, hyung had a photo of you as his background for like three months!” Yunhyeong exclaims, pointing in his excitement. Chanwoo nods in agreement, not a single one of them looking as lost as Hanbin feels.

 “Okay, what the hell you guys!” He nearly whines in exasperation, throwing up his arms in defeat. “Literally all of you knew, and not one of you told me?”

 “Your fault for not paying attention,” Yunhyeong responds cheekily.

 “Besides,” Jinhwan continues, leaning into Jiwon comfortably. “How are you supposed to learn to flirt if you let your wingmen do everything?” Hanbin supposes that’s an excellent point, even if he doesn’t want to hear the logic in it. This was his pride they were talking about, after all. He damaged it enough with his own awkward antics.

 “You still suck. Both of you.” Hanbin gripes, leaning on Jiwon’s other shoulder in silent forgiveness. He tries not to blush too hard when Jiwon issues him an apology in the form of a peck on the forehead.

 In their sudden outburst none of the guys had realized Junhoe trudging over to them, looking utterly lost. It takes a snort from Chanwoo to focus their attention as he rejoins their unit. “That bad, huh?” the youngest asks with a cheeky grin. Junhoe holds up a business card, and then all lean in.

 “This… is a regular business card, Junie,” Hanbin says slowly, not entirely sure how self-aware the other male is at this moment.

 “Back side,” he squeaks. After some third party maneuvering of his hand, the others can see what’s gotten him so stunned.

 Against all odds, a phone number and _“Let’s meet up~”_ in pretty handwriting are jotted in red ink, surrounded with cheesy hearts and smiley faces.

 “No way, he gave you his number? Just like that?” Jiwon’s tone is saturated with astonishment, looking past Junhoe to gawk at his sheepish -yet still grinning- coworker. “That was atrocious, I wouldn’t have even done that for Hanbin. Sorry, babe,” he says offhandedly, smiling at the flick Hanbin delivers to his temple.

 “Yeah, it was awful.” Junhoe says, clearly coming back to himself as he flashes them all a regretful grimace. “But if anything, it just tells us all one thing.” In classic Junhoe fashion, he allows for a dramatic pause, surveying them all with a victorious smirk.

 “Even when I’m off on my game, I’ve got more game than Hanbin.”

 For someone he considers his friend, Hanbin’s never wanted to strangle somebody so many times. But they’re still friends, after all. And standing here in this group, hand in Jiwon’s as they all laugh together so comfortably, he thinks he’s okay with not having much game.

 If he plays his cards right, Hanbin thinks, he won’t have to do any more looking.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, it’s been a really long time. I didn’t expect this to be my first iKON fic -I honestly have so many in drafts it’s ridiculous, and have since June. But I also didn’t expect myself to stop writing all of a sudden, and for so long. I just had a really rough couple of months and I'm finally almost back to normal.
> 
> Many ideas have come to me during my unplanned hiatus (all of which i jotted down), so I hope we'll have lots of new content for me to feel proud of this year!  
> Thank you so much for being patient with me, both for taking so long to write something iKON and in dealing with my absence in general. I'm really glad to be back.


End file.
